Anonymous #292

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #292

Where are you located?

New South Wales

What type of area do you live in?

Metropolitan

Are you an education professional?
(e.g. teacher, school leader, learning support assistant, teacher’s aide)

Yes

Which sector do you work in?

University researcher of school education

What is your occupation?

Associate Professor of Educational Psychology

Elevating the profession

The actions proposed recognise the value teachers bring to students, communities and the economy.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Improving teacher supply

The actions proposed will be effective in increasing the number of students entering ITE, number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession.

Somewhat disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

I would like to provide feedback in reference to proposed action 8 in the Draft Action Plan. Here, the suggestions focus on attracting teachers to schools. However, they do not address issues related to retaining teachers already working in those schools, or longer-term retention after the initial scholarships or bursaries have finished.

Alongside the draft actions, I recommend that the National Action Plan should also include actions to improve the working conditions in these schools. Unless working conditions for current teachers are improved, any efforts to attract new teachers will be hampered by the revolving door of attrition that is currently evident among Australian teachers.

In two studies conducted among 6,000 Australian teachers using data from the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey, my colleagues and I (Collie et al., 2020, 2021) identified a 40% jump in the teachers struggling with their working conditions from 2013 to 2018. These struggling teachers made up almost 50% of the sample and were significantly less likely to want to remain in the profession.

My research shows that high workloads, disruptive student behaviour, and barriers to professional learning are key factors in making teachers want to quit the profession. Workload is covered elsewhere in the Draft Action Plan; however, recommendations for disruptive student behaviour and professional learning are limited in the Plan. I recommend the following.

To support teachers to manage disruptive student behaviour, fund effective mentoring and coaching programs develop instructional skills for engaging students in the classroom, and provide more funding to support students’ wellbeing, mental health, and behavioural needs, which often play a role in disruptive behaviour.

To reduce barriers to professional learning, ensure that all teachers in metropolitan, regional, and remote locations have access to and funding for evidence-based professional learning.

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

The actions proposed will ensure initial teacher education supports teacher supply and quality.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Maximising the time to teach

The actions proposed will improve retention and free up teachers to focus on teaching and collaboration.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better understanding future teacher workforce needs

How effective are the proposed actions in better understanding future teacher workforce needs, including the number of teachers required?

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better career pathways to support and retain teachers in the profession

The proposed actions will improve career pathways, including through streamlining the process for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation, and providing better professional support for teachers to retain them in the profession.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?